


The Peculiar Case of Caroline Mendelson

by kacEDune98



Category: Supernatural
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-21
Updated: 2016-08-19
Packaged: 2018-06-03 12:57:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,429
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6611443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kacEDune98/pseuds/kacEDune98
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>*This story uses the characters and story of the show Supernatural but has its own timeline. Meaning that some events may seem out of order with the show at times.* <br/>The Winchesters arrive in Michigan City, Indiana for what they thought was a simple demon hunt. What they found was so much more. A famous hunter by the name of Caroline Mendelson quickly turns the boys' lives on their heads. The three team up to take on the mysterious secrets of her past that have come back to haunt her. When Caroline's life is suddenly in danger, will the brothers be able to save her before it's too late?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Introductions

The empty streets of Michigan City, Indiana were eerily illuminated by street lamps, as the impala slowly traveled down the wet pavement. The beams of the headlights cast shadows into the fog that resided over the city. Sam’s view shifted to a massive cemetery as they turned onto Barker Avenue. The voice of the angel sitting in the back seat commanded Dean to stop the car.  
“So this is the place?” Sam asked while staring at the house that sat across the street from the parked car.  
“Yes, it is Sam. I can sense the demon’s presence inside the house,” Castiel stated matter-of-factly. Dean cut the engine and the three climbed out and retrieved their gear from the trunk. In the dark of night, the house appeared to be the epitome of evil. Sam picked the lock and slowly opened the heavy door. The slow creak reverberated against the walls of the old house.  
“Alright, Cas you search downstairs, Sam you take upstairs, and I’ll clear this floor. Yell if you need us and don’t do anything stupid,” Dean instructed, and the three split up and started to search for the demon.  
The stairs groaned beneath his weight, as Sam climbed the staircase. When he reached the second story he was faced with a dark hallway and three large doors. Slowly, he crept down the hall and placed his hand on the brass handle. He quickly inhaled, pushed the door open, and cautiously stepped into the room. Looking around, he discovered that he was standing in an office. A picture of a young blonde woman and a child sat on the desk, and Sam’s heart sank. Who knew what had come of them. He shook the thoughts out of his head and went to check the rest of the rooms.  
He opened the next door only to see that it was a closet, stocked to the brim with sheets, towels, and other toiletries. Turning to the third door, Sam gently rested his hand on top of the doorknob. The door opened silently and he was faced with a large bedroom. Before entering, he poked his head through the doorway and scanned the room for any signs of the demon. When he saw nothing, he stepped across the threshold to check the room just to be sure. He stopped two steps into the room and stood in silence, listening for any signs of life. Suddenly, his back collided with the carpeted floor and the cool of metal pressed into his throat.  
A terrified female voice cried out, “What the hell are you doing in my house?” Sam looked up expecting to see the woman from the photograph, but the woman who had tackled him was quite the opposite. The woman who straddled his waist had dark chestnut hair and stormy gray eyes. She held a knife to his neck and was pressing it against him with quite a bit of force. Footsteps moved quickly up the stairs and Dean burst into the room.  
“Sammy are y…” Dean stopped midsentence, taking in the scene before him. The woman turned to look at him and cried out again,  
“What are you people doing in my house? Why are you here?” She spoke quickly and her voice trembled along with the knife in her hand. Dean slowly moved into the room and tried to reassure her with each step,  
“Look, sweetheart, we are here to help you. You’re in danger.”  
“Of course, I’m in danger. Two guys just broke into my house,” she replied. Sam who had been quiet throughout the whole ordeal finally spoke up,  
“Hey, why don’t we all calm down a little bit? Miss, we don’t want to hurt you.” Her grip on the knife loosened as he spoke. She cocked her head to the side and looked up at Dean with a confused expression quickly covering the terror that was there before.  
“Oh, you don’t want to hurt me?” she questioned and Sam and Dean nodded slowly, “But I want to hurt you.” The woman’s eyes flashed black and she lifted the knife and swung at Sam in one swift movement. Dean reacted quickly and lunged at her, knocking her off of Sam and onto the floor. Her knife bounced across the ground and out of reach. With his forearm pressed against her throat, Dean grabbed the demon knife and replaced his arm with it.  
“Watch it, Winchester,” the demon warned, “you don’t want to do that.”  
“Oh yeah? And why wouldn’t I?” he replied pressing the knife harder into her neck.  
“This girl’s got quite a story Dean, and you’re going to regret killing her.” Both the boys were so focused on the demon’s words that they failed to notice that she had grabbed her knife. She swung across Dean’s face and sliced his cheek. He raised the knife and just as he was about to bring it down, the black eyes faded and terror filled them.  
“Please help me,” escaped her lips before the black eyes returned, “Ha! The little bitch can fight.” Exclaimed the demon. Dean’s eyes flicked to Sam and nodded slightly and Sam began to recite the exorcism. The demon cried out in pain and writhed under the older Winchester’s grip. Black smoke ejected out of the poor girl’s mouth and exited through the air vent.  
Dean stood up, giving the girl some space to recover from the possession. She choked and gasped for air, before taking Sam’s outstretched hand. He hoisted her to her feet and she stood in silence breathing heavily. They all stood in silence while she tried to slow her breathing and regain control of her body. She looked up at the boys and only then did she speak,  
“Thank you.” The boys nodded in return. She glanced at the blood running down Dean’s cheek,  
“Sorry about your face. I wasn’t really in control,” she apologized.  
“We know. Look this is gonna sound pretty weird, but you were-”  
“Possessed by a demon? I know.” The boys looked at each other shocked and she continued, “Yeah yeah, I’m a hunter I know about this stuff.”  
“Wait, if you’re a hunter, why don’t we know who you are?” Sam asked.  
“Well let’s see… I missed the last International Hunters Convention, so… I guess that’s why,” she replied sarcastically, “I know who you are, though.” They boys raised their eyebrows and she continued, “You’re Sam and Dean Winchester, the brothers who both started and ended the apocalypse.”  
“Thanks for the reminder sweetheart, but we still don’t know who you are.” Dean reminded her.  
“Oh yeah, sorry. My name is Caroline Mendelson,” she answered.  
“Wait a second. You’re THE Caroline Mendelson? As in the greatest hunter in the world,” Sam exclaimed.  
“Yeah the one and only,” she replied  
“Hold on,” Dean interrupted, “if you’re Caroline Mendelson, then how did you let yourself get possessed by a demon?” She lifted up her shirt revealing an anti-possession tattoo and gestured towards the long gash that split it in two.  
“My boyfriend, James, and I were on a hunt. There was a rumor that some demons were hiding out in the city. We went into this warehouse by Lake Michigan, but there were too many of them and we were captured. They sliced our tattoos and possessed us.  
“The demon took me home, and let me take over. She wanted me to go on with my life, but if I did anything she didn’t agree with she’d take over. The demon that possessed James took off and I haven’t seen him since.” she explained. Sam and Dean told her that they were sorry that happened to her, but she shook it off.  
“It’s just the type of life we live. It happens,” she said while shrugging her shoulders.  
“Hey Dean,” Sam said turning to his brother, “where’s Cas?” As if on cue Castiel appeared in the doorway. Caroline turned around to see a man about her height with dark hair and blue eyes, clad in a trenchcoat.  
“There was no demon in the basement Dean, but I did find traces of sulfur on the windowsill,” Cas stated.  
“Thanks, Cas,” Dean replied, “but we already took care of it.”  
Caroline looked at him and simply said, “Angel.” The boys looked at her somewhat shocked and she simply replied, “What you guys aren’t the only ones who can have friends in Heaven.”  
She turned to the three men, “So are you staying somewhere in town or did you just get here?”  
“We just got here about an hour ago,” Sam replied.  
“Well, you guys are welcome to stay here if you want. Take it as thanks for saving me, plus I know how crappy the motels around here are,” The boys thanked her and she informed them of the sleeping situation.  
“The guest room is downstairs and there’s a sofabed in the living room, so you guys can battle it out over who gets the real bed. The kitchen is down the hall and there’s a shower in the bathroom next to the guest room. Now if you’ll excuse me I need to get cleaned up. I smell like I swan dived into a pile of rotten eggs,” Caroline explained.  
“Goodnight,” both boys replied and everyone settled in for the night.


	2. A Slightly Apple Pie Life

The gentle caress of sunshine crept its way into the house as the crackle of bacon frying popped down the hall and into the ears of Dean Winchester. The first thing he noticed while waking up was the smell. The enticing aromas of bacon, eggs, and maple syrup pulled him from the bedroom and down the hall. As he approached the kitchen the crackling bacon was accompanied by the sounds of voices chatting away.  
The sight was like something out of a dream. As Dean sat down at the old kitchen table, with his younger brother, he was handed a large mug filled to the brim with coffee and a plate overflowing with bacon, eggs, and pancakes by a gorgeous woman in a tank top and pajama pants.  
“Am I in heaven?” Dean whispered to himself, as he reached for the maple syrup.  
“No, you’re in my kitchen. Which is basically the same thing, Caroline replied with a wink, as she sat down at the table with her cup of coffee, “Also where’s your angel friend? I haven’t seen him since last night.”  
“He had some angel business in heaven to take care of. He should be back, later on, today,” Sam explained. She nodded and sipped away at her coffee, trapped in her own thoughts while the boys ate. Suddenly, she cried out, “Oh shit!” she turned to the boys, “What day is it?”  
“Monday, February 22nd. Why?” Sam asked. Caroline stood up and rushed up the stairs muttering every curse word imaginable under her breath. The boys looked at each other shocked and confused. Just as Dean opened his mouth to speak, Caroline reappeared dressed in a pair of jeans and a white blouse, holding a red leather jacket. She was frantically looking around mumbling something about keys under her breath.  
“Hey hey hey slow down there princess. What’s the rush?” Dean asked. She turned to the boys, suddenly remembering that they were there.  
“I’m sorry guys, but I have to go to my friend's house. She just had a baby and her boyfriend has to work today. I promised I would help her with the baby and her other kid,” she said while turning around a few times, “Where the hell are my damn keys?” she screamed. Just then, Sam noticed a glint of metal peeking out from underneath a dish rag. He grabbed them and handed them over to Caroline.   
“Thank you so so so much Sam! I’d feel so bad if I was late,” she turned to leave then stopped dead in her tracks. Her hand flew to her forehead and she let out a loud, “God Damnit!”  
“Well that doesn’t sound good,” Dean stated as Caroline turned around.   
“I forgot that my car is shot. How the hell am I going to get to her house? It’s almost an hour long walk,” Caroline’s voice shook with anger at both herself and her car.  
“I can take a look at it for you,” Dean offered.  
“Yeah, and I’ll drive you to her house,” Sam added.  
“Really?” Caroline said surprised, “Thank you so much, guys, I really owe you.” She stood up and lead Dean into the garage where her 1977 Trans Am was kept.   
“This is your car?” Dean asked with a look of surprise on his face.  
“Yup. It was my dad’s before he died.” Caroline replied with a small smile on her face.  
“Caroline,” Dean said, as she turned to face him, “you’re awesome.” Her smile spread as she handed him her keys and said goodbye. Sam was waiting by the front door for her, “You ready?” he asked. Caroline nodded and they climbed into the Impala.   
The car ride was quick and filled with conversation. Caroline explained more about the strange nature of her possession. It seemed as if the demon did not want to use her as a vessel, but instead keep an eye on her. Sam did not know what to think of the strange possession either.   
They turned onto Ogden Avenue, and Sam was met by a toy covered lawn. He put the car in park.   
“Okay, I need to be picked around 1 o’clock. When you get back to the house make a list of things you guys want from the grocery store and we’ll stop by Meijer on the way home,” Sam nodded as Caroline continued, “My number is on the fridge if you need anything don’t be afraid to call. I’ll see you later Sam,” she said flashing a smile.   
“Yeah I’ll see you later,” Sam replied.  
Caroline got out of the car and walked up to the door and knocked. A man who appeared to be Dean’s age with reddish brown hair opened the door. Caroline hugged him and went inside the house. The man walked off the porch and waved at Sam as he got into the truck parked in the driveway. Sam waved back, pulled away from the curb, and headed back to Caroline’s house.  
When Sam returned Caroline was sitting on the front porch with the blonde woman from the picture he saw last night. Relief flushed over him because he now knew that both she and the boy were alive. Caroline stood and hugged her friend, then made her way to the car. She instructed Sam around the corner to the grocery store. Thirty minutes later they emerged with a cart full of food and smiles on their faces. The car was loaded and they made their way back to Barker Avenue.  
The two returned to Caroline’s house to find Dean with the Trans Am revving the engine in the driveway. They exited the impala and made their way over to Dean.  
“Is it fixed?” Caroline asked.  
“Yeah and I changed the oil too,” Dean replied.  
“Thanks, guys. You both have really helped me out today and I appreciate it.” Both of the brothers nodded and started to help Caroline unload groceries.   
“So,” Dean asked, “ I haven’t much about you hunting wise. What have you been up to?”  
“Well, other than being possessed by a demon, I started working at a real job again,” Caroline replied.   
“Really?” Sam said surprised, “What do you do?” Caroline went to her purse, pulled out a what looked like a wallet, and threw it at Sam. Sam held up the wallet revealing that it actually was an FBI badge. Both him and Dean started laughing and pulled out their badges from their coats.  
“Yeah, we have badges too Caroline. Every good hunter has one,” Dean explained between fits of laughter. Caroline simply rolled her eyes.  
“Ok, but,” Caroline snatched both her’s and Dean’s badges from his hands and held them side by side, “mine is actually real.” The boys compared the two badges.   
“Son of a bitch!” Dean exclaimed.


	3. White Lies

The gentle purr of the car’s engine came to a halt in the parking lot of Joy Elementary School. Caroline glanced at herself in the mirror and gathered her things, before leaving the warmth of her vehicle. She rushed across the parking lot, the cold nipping at her nose and the dreadful sense of regret clawing at the back of her thoughts. As she pushed open the large front doors to the brick building, her mind was transported back to her conversation with the younger Winchester brother earlier that morning.  
“So you really are an FBI agent?” Sam had asked when she emerged from her room dressed in her professional attire. Caroline simply nodded and rushed out the door trying to avoid any more conversation on the subject of her occupation. When she arrived at her car, she sat with her head rested on the steering wheel fighting the urge to run back inside and confess to her dishonesty. Lying had always been hard for Caroline. Even as a small child, she could not do anything wrong without the guilt consuming every fiber of her being. She was not even sure why she was lying to the boys in the first place. Sure, she had some secrets that she did not need them digging into, but if anyone would understand, would it not be the two boys who have been put in a situation similar to her own?  
Caroline pushed the thoughts down as she entered the classroom. A collective “Ms. Mendelson!” rang out across the small classroom. After her first attempt at a career failed, Caroline had gone back to college and was now in her final semester before she would have a degree in elementary education. Every Tuesday and Thursday morning she would go into a classroom and shadow a teacher until the time came for her to graduate. Her mentor, Mrs. Jacobs, rushed over to her and dumped pile after pile of papers that needed grading and filing. She was buried in her work both figuratively and literally, so it was no surprise that Caroline did not realize it was already time for her to leave.   
After exiting the building, she fought against the freezing winds to get to her car. Caroline almost did not notice the footsteps that had fallen into line with hers. When she did notice, she quickly turned around and made a grab at the figure’s throat. A hand clasped around her wrist, and Caroline was faced with none other than Sam Winchester.  
“FBI agent, huh?” Sam questioned, as Caroline glared at him. She jerked her hand away from him and continued walking to her car. He sped up his pace and reached her car before she did. Only then did she speak to him, “What the hell do you think you’re doing Sam? First of all, my life is none of your business, so butt out. Second of all, you better hope for your sake that Dean comes back from checking out that lead soon, because I know for a fact that all the doors and windows in my house are locked and I’m not taking time out of my day to let you back in.”   
After realizing his mistake, he backed off and started to walk away. A gust of wind sent chills down her spine as she watched Sam start to walk off.   
“Sam, wait!” Caroline called out after him. The large man turned around and she gestured for him to get into the car. He smiled and offered his thanks. She started to explain the errands she had to do before the end of the day. First was dropping off some paperwork at the bank then she had to take care of her uncle’s dog. After they left her uncle’s house she would have enough time to drop Sam off at her house before she had to pick up her friend’s kid from school.   
The bank stop was long and boring, but the conversation helped the time pass. Sam decided that he should trust Caroline and not pry for information, so the conversation was able to flow without any tension. Finally, she was able to submit the paperwork she had brought, only to find out she had the wrong form. Tired and frustrated, Caroline stomped out to the car and sped off to her uncle’s house.   
The bustle of the town transformed into woods with the occasional cabin. The crunching sound of tires on gravel came to a halt in front of a large hunting cabin. The pair exited the car and Sam stared at the house in wonderment. Caroline noticed this and asked, “Whatcha looking at Sam?”  
“Well, this is Isaac Taylor’s house isn’t it? I thought we were going to take care of your uncle’s dog,” Sam replied.  
“My uncle is Isaac Taylor you big goof,” Caroline explained. Sam seemed shocked, but continued up the steps and waited for Caroline to unlock the door. Once inside, Sam was ambushed by the kisses of an extremely large great dane.  
“Immie Graye! Get off of him right now!” Caroline demanded. The large dog leapt off of Sam’s shoulders and sat down, tail wagging playfully. Caroline grabbed Immie’s bowl and filled it to the brim with food. While she was refilling the water, Sam asked, “Immie Graye?”  
“It’s short for Imogen Graye. It was my mom’s name. She was Isaac’s twin sister, so they were pretty close and this was a way for him to cope with her death,” Caroline explained.  
“Oh, I’m sorry about your mom,” Sam replied.  
“It’s okay. It’s been ten years, so I’ve had time to grieve and get over it.”  
“Well, where is your uncle?” Sam asked.  
“He left for Oregon for a wendigo hunt about a week ago. He should be back by Friday, but if he isn’t I’ll make a call and see if someone can find him.” Suddenly, Immie reappeared from her food bowl and sat down right in front of Caroline and let out a whine.   
“Oh alright you needy girl, let’s go.” Caroline grabbed the leash from a hook on the wall and hooked it onto Immie’s collar. The three of them made their way outside and traversed the hiking trail behind the cabin. When they returned, Caroline returned Immie to the house and she and Sam got into the car and headed for home.  
________________  
Caroline Mendelson’s home was empty. He had been checking the house every few days ever since she had been possessed. He also knew it would only be a matter of time before she would run into the Winchesters. The bright red Trans Am rolled down the street and pulled into her driveway. This was odd. She usually was out all day and only returned after picking that boy up from school. His face wrinkled in confusion when not one, but two figures exited the car. The driver was obviously Caroline, but he could not see who the passenger was. The man turned and he was able to see the passenger’s face. Sam Winchester was with her. His master would be so pleased to hear the good news. Ten years his master has waited for this exact moment. The plan would be put into action very soon. The Mendelson girl’s days were officially numbered.  
________________  
Caroline had dropped Sam off and he was left alone in the house once again. Dean was still checking out the lead on the demons in the next town over, so Sam would have to occupy himself for the time being. He decided to go for a walk in the cemetery across the street. When he left the house, he saw a lone figure dressed in black sitting on a bench facing the house. He took the key Caroline had given him and locked the door. While on his walk, Sam could see the man looking at him, but he tried to ignore it. When Sam decided to try and get a good look at him, the man was gone. He shook it off and started to head back to the house.   
When he arrived back at the house, Dean was pulling into the driveway. The two went inside and sat down in the living room.  
“So was that lead any good?” Sam asked.  
“Let’s just say if there were any demons there, they’ve been gone for a while,” Dean explained, “What did you do all day man?” Sam proceeded to explain how he had found Caroline leaving the school and how she had snapped at him when he questioned her.  
“That’s pretty weird. Did she really leave you out in the cold all day?”  
“No, she let me tag along with her for a little while. We went to the bank and to check on her uncle’s dog. And dude, you are never going to guess who her uncle is,” Sam explained.  
“Gee I don’t know, Elvis,” Dean replied sarcastically.  
“Try Isaac Taylor.”  
“Wait, you mean the one Dad used to hunt with?” Dean asked surprised. Sam nodded and the creak of the garage opening echoed through the house. A few seconds later Caroline walked into the living room and greeted the boys. They nodded in return and Dean re-explained how the lead was a bust.  
“So, how about drinks and some pool to cheer everyone up? It’s been a long day and I think we could use it,” Caroline offered. The boys agreed and everyone piled into the impala. Caroline directed Dean to Pete’s Billiards Hall and the three of them filed into the run down building.   
“I have to warn you guys, I am terrible at pool,” Caroline admitted.  
“Oh please,” Dean replied, “Don’t even bother trying to hustle us, Mendelson. We’re hunters, we make our money by hustling.”  
“I’m being serious. I suck at pool, I preferred to make my money in other ways while I was hunting,” Caroline commented winking in Dean’s direction. Sam looked like his eyes were about to pop out of his head. He could not even begin to fathom that Caroline would do something so crude.  
“Relax Sammy. I meant I played cards. I’m a killer poker player,” Caroline explained while laughing at Sam’s confusion. Everyone in the building looked up at the three and some shouted, “Caroline!” She smiled and waved at the recognition she received. One man even offered to buy the group’s first pitcher of beer. Dean grabbed the cues and Sam racked up the balls for the first game. Caroline returned with an almost overflowing pitcher and a stack of plastic cups.  
“So,” Sam started, “you’re pretty popular for someone who doesn’t play pool.”  
“I never said that I don’t play. I just do it badly,” Caroline explained, “I come here with James every Friday night. He’s the real star here, but there aren’t very many pretty girls hanging around here, so that explains my popularity.” The boys nodded and they started to play. By the third round, Caroline had proven, not only that she was a terrible pool player, but also that she had a very colorful vocabulary that came with a slight accent.   
“What kind of accent is that?” Dean asked cautiously, as Caroline was still frustrated from her last shot.   
“British,” Caroline mumbled, “My mom was from England. She moved here with my dad after they got married.” The boys nodded and Dean racked the balls for next game. It was Caroline’s turn to break and she carefully lined up her shot. Bringing the cue back, she attempted to hit the ball but ended up missing the shot and the balls that still sat in their perfect triangle.  
“What the actual fuck! Why can’t I just hit the goddamned ball?” she cried out. The boys stifled their laughter while a very angry Caroline glared at them furiously. They turned away to avoid the death stare that they were receiving and also to refill their cups. A hand clasped onto Caroline’s shoulder and a soft voice whispered in her ear, “You should really watch your mouth young lady. You never know who could be listening.”  
Caroline spun around and was faced with a tall, blue eyed, black haired man. The anger on her face was replaced with instant recognition and she catapulted into the man’s arms. Sam and Dean were left shocked and confused until they saw the man’s face. It was none other than Isaac Taylor.  
“What are you doing here? You weren’t supposed to be back until Friday,” Caroline said, but her words were blurred from her excitement. Dean cleared his throat behind her, and she turned, “Oh, Isaac this is Sam and Dean Winchester.”  
“Winchester,” Isaac stated with a thick British accent, “You’re John’s boys?” They nodded and offered up their greetings. He smiled at them and wrapped his arms around their necks, “Well what brings you two all the way up here?”  
Caroline and the brothers proceeded to explain her strange possession and the disappearance of James while continuing their pool game. After finally hitting a ball into the pocket, Caroline squealed mid-explanation and started to jump up and down. Dean watched her excitement and could not help but smile at her joy.  
“Oh, Caroline I meant to ask you how college was going. Is everything working out?” Isaac inquired when she had settled down. Sam turned to glare at Caroline and she met his gaze with a slightly ashamed look of her own.  
“It’s going really well. My grades are up and I’m all set to graduate in a couple of months,” Caroline explained and with every word the tension from this morning slowly returned. Isaac smiled and nodded and Dean went to the table to take his shot. Sam leaned against the table and whispered in her ear, “Teaching huh?” She blushed and whispered back,  
“I’ll explain everything when we get home.” Sam nodded and the two returned to the game.  
The car ride back to Caroline’s house was silent, except for the low hum of the impala’s engine. All Caroline could really do was sit and wait to tell her story, even then she could only hope that the boys would understand. Car doors and front doors alike were slammed and the three entered the dark living room. The streetlights from outside cast a shadow of a man standing in the room. With the flick of a light switch, the man was revealed to be Castiel.  
“Cas, what the hell?” Dean yelled at the angel.  
“Dean,” the deep voice of the angel spoke, “we need to talk about something very important.”  
“It can wait Cas. Someone has some explaining to do.” The three turned towards Caroline and she took a deep breath.  
“Okay, I lied about my job. I don’t have a job, I went back to school to become a teacher and get away from hunting,” Caroline started, “After I got out of high school, I went straight into college with no want to even be there. I wanted to hunt. If I had had the chance I would have thrown myself into that life and never looked back. Isaac on the other hand though I should get an education first.   
“I chose forensics because I thought that it would help me with hunting. I hated it, though. I hated all of it and turned to alcohol. One night I passed out on a bench in the campus green and this girl found me and cleaned me up. Her name was Chelsea Paige and she helped me get back on the right track.  
“One night while we were hanging out, I met her friend James Daley. We hit it off and soon we were dating. He told me one night that he had been keeping secrets. I was terrified that he was cheating on me or planning to leave me, but that was when he told me he was a hunter. I remember laughing like a fool at him. He thought I thought he was crazy, but then I told him I was a hunter too.  
“About a week later we were hunting together. I felt like my life had found a meaning again. We became a power team killing every supernatural thing in sight, but my grades were slipping. My uncle flipped his shit and I forced myself back into school. I barely graduated, but I made it.” The boys looked at her as she spoke, Dean with interest and Sam with speculation.  
“James and I continued to hunt, but one night he almost died because of me and I quit. The guilt consumed me and I turned back to alcohol. After a few months, I sobered up and we started hunting again, but this time we stayed close to home. We didn’t leave Indiana and if we found anything outside of the state, James would call up someone he knew and they would take the case or pass it on to someone else.   
“I decided that the world would benefit more from me going back to school to do something for the better. I started back at college to be an elementary school teacher, so that’s why you saw me at the school and why I haven’t at the forefront of hunting the past little while. I am sorry I lied to you guys, but I didn’t want the two of you prying into my past, so I came up with something that would keep you from asking questions.” The boys looked at her and didn’t say anything for a while. Then Dean piped up,  
“We understand Caroline and we forgive you. Isn’t that right Sammy.” Dean turned towards his younger brother.  
“Yeah,” Sam replied with a hint of anger in his voice. He wasn’t sure what to make of the lies, but he was sure that she was still hiding something.


	4. Mystery Man

The heavy door swung open and Caroline was met by the Winchesters watching television. They had their eyes glued to the television and Dean was saying something about how that was not what vampires were actually like. She greeted the boys while setting down her bag and keys.  
“Hey Caroline!” Dean replied, but Sam simply nodded with a look of deep brooding plastered on his face. It had been two days since she sat down with the boys and told them her story. Sam had barely spoken to her since and acted like he was unhappy with the story she told.  
“Well… I’m going to start dinner. I’ll let you guys know when it’s ready.” And with that Caroline left the room and started pulling out all the ingredients for dinner. She washed the vegetables and grabbed the knife to start chopping them when a strong hand clasped onto her shoulder. She spun around and pointed the knife into the face of Sam Winchester. He cautiously held up his hands and Caroline lowered the knife. Quickly, she turned back to the vegetables and angrily chopped away at them. Sam stood stock-still behind her watching her work.  
“Can I help you?” Caroline asked while waving the knife as she spoke.   
“Um… yeah, so how was your day?” Sam mumbled while avoiding the death glare Caroline was giving him.  
“How was my day?” Caroline said raising her voice, “You’ve avoided me for the past day and a half and all you have to say to me is ‘How was your day?’?” Sam lowered his head, ashamed.  
When he looked back up at Caroline, she was looking at him, but her expression had softened, “My day was pretty fantastic Sam. How was your day?”  
With a smile on his face, Sam proceeded to explain how he had spent the day hanging out with Dean and how he’d also went for a walk in the cemetery. He mentioned seeing the headstones of Imogen Graye and Eric Andrew Mendelson and Caroline dropped her head holding back tears.  
“Oh shit. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to-” Sam stumbled on his words realizing that he had upset her.  
“No, it’s okay, but I’d rather not talk about them if that’s okay.”  
“That’s totally fine. I get it some wounds never really heal.” With that, Caroline turned around and resumed dinner. Sam left the room and headed back into the living room to wait for dinner. The muffled trill of a telephone came from Caroline’s bag. He grabbed her phone and brought it to the kitchen. He saw that Caroline had pulled a chain out from under her shirt and was holding a locket open. She quickly dropped the necklace back under her shirt and grabbed the phone from him, nodding as a thank you.   
Caroline pointed at a pot on the stove and motioned for Sam to stir it while she spoke with the caller.   
“Hey, what’s up,” Caroline spoke into the phone with her back to Sam, “I’m not sure. Let me check.” With that Caroline left the room and headed towards the garage. She returned moments later holding a fabric dinosaur lunchbox.  
“Yeah Chelsea I’ve got it. You can come by and grab it around eight if you want,” Sam glanced at the clock on the stove which read 6:15. Caroline exchanged goodbyes with the caller and turned to look at Sam.  
“My friend Chelsea’s son left his lunchbox in my car. She’s gonna stop by and grab it later,” Sam nodded and she took the spoon back from him, “Thanks, Sam. Fifteen minutes max and then dinner will be ready. Sam nodded and went back to join Dean.  
The final plate was set and Caroline called for the boys. Everyone sat down at the table and started digging into the chicken she had prepared. The conversation somehow managed to stay pleasant and tension free, but this ease quickly came to an end with 6 simple words.  
“So, how did your parents die?” Sam inquired. Caroline did not lift her head to look at him and her knuckles were starting to turn white due to her increased grip on her fork.  
“I said I didn’t want to talk about it,” Caroline replied struggling to hold back her frustration.  
“Come on. Talking about it can be really helpful,” Sam suggested.  
“Look, Sam, I said I didn’t want to talk about it. Why can’t you just accept that?” Caroline said raising her voice.  
“You don’t want to talk about it, or you’re hiding something from us?” Sam replied angrily. Caroline slammed her fork into the table, stood up, and stomped up the stairs. Dean and Sam sat at the table in silence for a few seconds. Dean opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by the sound of a door slamming and the lock bolting.   
After locking her door, Caroline fell to the floor and sobbed. She opened the locket and slid her fingers over the faces staring back at her. Faces she would never see alive again. She could not understand why Sam refused to simply let her keep what happened to her family to herself. A short ringing sound told her that she had a text message. She pulled the phone out of her pocket and read the words through her tears,

CHELSEA: BOTH KIDS SICK. H ISN’T GOING TO SCHOOL TOMORROW. DON’T NEED LUNCHBOX. WILL GET IT LATER.

CAROLINE: OK. HOPE THE KIDS FEEL BETTER. I’LL SEE YOU THEN.

Caroline threw her phone on the bed and buried her face in a pillow. She hoped if she just went to sleep, that she would wake up tomorrow and this would have all been some crazy dream. She would never have met the Winchesters, James wouldn’t be gone, and her family wouldn’t be dead.  
_____________________  
The bench in the cemetery grew colder as night fell. Though the air was freezing he did not so much as shiver. The glow of a cell phone read out the time 7:45, the man dialed his master’s phone number and raised the phone to his ear. He looked on at the house and spoke into the phone, “The Mendelson girl and the Winchesters are all in the house. We are ready to launch our attack. Send them in in exactly fifteen minutes.” The man ended the call and smiled as he casually strolled away from Caroline Mendelson’s home.  
_____________________  
“Man she really stuck that fork in there,” Dean said, struggling to pull the fork out of the table that Caroline had shoved into it moments before. With one last tug, the fork broke free and sent Dean barreling backwards into the wall. Sam scoffed and left the kitchen, beer in hand, headed towards his evening on the pull-out couch.   
Dean ran his hand over the splintering holes that were left in place of the fork. After deciding that he would rather not spend the evening in a house where his brother and new found friend were fighting, he grabbed a couple of beers from the fridge and turned to leave. He glanced at the clock on the stove which read, 7:59.   
The older Winchester stood at the bottom of the stairs about to go try to console Caroline and fix his brother’s spiteful mistakes. He looked back at Sam, who was lying on the couch nursing his own bottle of beer, and frowned. He hated to see his brother like that, but Sam deserved it. He should never have opened the still fresh wound that was the death of Caroline’s parents.   
As Dean turned to head up to Caroline’s room, there was a gentle knock at the door. Dean turned to look at Sam and they exchanged cautious glances.   
“Caroline said her friend, Chelsea, was supposed to be coming to pick up her kid’s lunchbox, so I guess that’s her,” Sam said, standing to answer the door. Dean set down the beers and moved to the couch. He figured it would be better for Chelsea to try and talk to Caroline. Sam grabbed the handle and opened the door, expecting the pretty blonde he saw when dropping off Caroline earlier in the week. Instead, twenty-four black eyes filled the door frame. Both of the brothers jumped back to grab their weapons, but they were outnumbered and quickly overpowered.   
Caroline sat on her bed, absentmindedly playing with her knife. Images of her family flashed before her tear-filled eyes. A knock on her door, followed by the voice of the younger Winchester, snapped her out of her sadness induced trance.   
“Caroline, open up. We need to talk about what happened.”   
She rolled her eyes and responded, “Go away Sam. I have nothing to say to you.” A different voice replied,  
“Hey Caroline, please open the door. It’s just me and I just want to talk to you for a minute.” Dean Winchester’s voice was soft and sweet. She quietly made her way over to the door and placed a hand on the handle. She inhaled deeply and was about to turn the handle. She stopped, something was wrong. The scent of sulfur had filled her nostrils. She leapt over to the bed and grabbed her knife. She turned just in time to see her bedroom door kicked in and eight demons enter her room.   
The demons all pulled out weapons and were ready to strike. Caroline scanned her opponents and noticed that there were four more demons standing outside of her door. They were each holding onto an arm of the Winchesters, who were bound at their wrists looking on at their friend helplessly. Caroline turned her attention back to the demons spinning the knife in her hand, assuming a fighting stance.   
The first demon charged at her. Caroline shoved the knife up and into his chest. This was followed by two more demons, she forced the knife into one, but the knife was stuck. The second demon sliced her arm, she managed to fight him off with her bare hands and retrieve her knife with enough time to take him out before he could strike again. Two more demons charged the lone fighter. Caroline attacked the first one and easily took him down, but as she turned to take care of her other assailant, the remaining demons had charged at her as well. She was elbowed on the temple by one of the demons and everything started to go black. The last thing that Caroline heard as she fell to the ground was Sam shouting, “No,” before she let the darkness consume her.


End file.
